The key stage 2 choir were joined by members of the Purbeck Arts Choir for some carolling outside the Co-op to raise money for Swanage Hospital. Many thanks to all who sang; it really brightened up a cold Friday afternoon.
Category Archives: News
Thank you – Las Posadas
Many thanks to everyone who has already hosted Mary and Joseph and a huge thank you for your generous contributions to the food bank. The first bags of food have already been collected and volunteers at the food bank were delighted. If you haven’t had the Holy Family in your home yet there is still time and I will be delivering the next consignment of food next week.
Christmas Fair
Thank you to all our wonderful Friends of St Mary’s for a brilliant Christmas Fair, and to all those who supported it to make it such a success.
Latest Newsletter
The latest newsletter has been sent out – look here.
Las Posadas
The Holy Family have already begun to find comfortable places to stay…
Advent Mass
Thank you to everyone who attended and took part in our Advent Mass. For the first Sunday of Advent our purple candle symbolised Hope, with the ‘Prophet’s Candle’ reminding us that Jesus is coming. Our new Key Stage 1 choir beautifully premiered a brand new Advent carol – Stay Awake – written especially for them by David Fawcett. Year 3,4,5,6 impressed us all by singing the Posada Song in Spanish. Finally, Father Tim blessed our Posadas and they were taken back to the classrooms to start their journey, through the coming weeks, until we celebrate the birth Jesus on Christmas Day. We hope you enjoy offering the Holy Family hospitality in your homes this Advent and sharing the Noisy Neighbour story together.
Our next Mass will be on the last day of term, December 21st at 9 am. We will welcome back Mary and Joseph; each class will receive a baby Jesus to complete the family; the food collected for the food-bank will be blessed and we will celebrate Mass together as we look forward to Christmas Day.
Keep Museum – return visit
After our very successful trip to Dorchester, Chris Copson, the curator of the museum, paid us a visit. Year 6 visited the Commonwealth War Graves at the Northbrook Road cemetery and then researched about the men who are buried there.
He also brought a selection of artefacts with him and the pupils researched them on the internet to find out more information about them. They produced pages for non fiction books.
Year 6 visit The Keep Museum
Year 6 enjoyed a very exciting and interesting visit to our friend, Chris, at the Keep Museum in Dorchester, to support their learning about World War 1.
As you can see from the pictures we had the opportunity to try on and handle many original artefacts and they used this experience to produce some pages for non fiction texts about the Great War.
We also trialled the Dorchester Poppy Trail, a route around the town with information boards explaining how that place or object was connected to World War 1.
Advent & Las Posadas
This Friday, 30 November at 9am we will be celebrating Mass; finding out about the start of Advent and lighting our first Advent candle.
We will also be celebrating Las Posadas again as part of our Advent preparations. The ‘Holy Family’ will be brought to Mass and blessed ready to start their journey, visiting your homes until they return to school on the 21st December.
I have attached the information about Las Posadas below and it will also be inside the pack when your child brings Mary and Joseph home with them.
On Friday 21st December @ 9am we will be celebrating our Christmas Mass, the Holy Families will come back and return to the classrooms with the addition of a baby, Jesus. We hope you will be able to join us for this very special celebration.
Las Posadas at St Mary’s
This year, as part of our Advent preparation for Christmas, we are going to celebrate Las Posada at St Mary’s.
This is a celebration that is predominately practised in South America and follows the ‘Holy Family’s’ journey and search for somewhere to stay. We will be representing this by asking each child to take home the ‘Holy Family’ to stay with them overnight. The following day they come back to school, ready to go home the next night with someone different.
As part of the traditional celebrations when the Holy Family eventually finds somewhere to stay gifts are given; songs are sung; food is shared and Pinatas are broken.
To represent these celebrations, we are asking that, if you feel able to, you might send in a small token of Christmas giving when your child brings back Mary and Joseph. These will be given to the local Foodbank and used in Christmas food parcels for those who need support this Christmas. If it could be something slightly Christmassy that would be wonderful e.g. gold coins, sweets, Christmas biscuits etc. there is quite a range in the various supermarkets for £1. Inside the pack there will also be a copy of ‘The New Noisy Neighbour’ book. This is for you to keep and share at home. We would also welcome any photographs of Mary and Joseph whilst they are staying with you. If you email them to me or the school office, we will put them onto the school website.
Advent at St Edward’s
Advent begins on Sunday 2nd December and at the 9 a.m. mass we will begin to celebrate the four weeks with a mass theme this week of ‘Light a Candle for Advent’, where each child will have the opportunity to light a votive candle for their own personal intention during Advent.
Every week, at the Children’s Liturgy, we will use the custom called the ‘Jesse Tree’ to help the children develop a stronger sense of who Jesus is and who were the people on the path before him. The stories from the Old and New Testament become a way for children to experience God’s presence themselves. As the tales unfold, we hear of Jacob’s reconciliation with his brother; David, who became a great king but was not too proud to ask for forgiveness for his mistakes; Solomon, who chose the gift of wisdom instead of riches and Mary who said “Yes” to God when she was asked to be the mother of Jesus.
While they listen to the stories, the children will hear about people who sought answers to difficult questions and tried to be faithful to God in spite of many problems. They can begin to feel their place as part of the people of God.
Advent is a wonderful preparation time for children, leading up to the great feast of Christmas and St. Edward and the Holy Spirit offers a warm welcome to you all.
